Custom names and emoji
Double-click a Space in the dropdown to rename it and add an optional emoji prefix. Names are saved per Space, so reordering in Mission Control keeps them correct.
Open source · macOS 14+ · Universal binary · Menu Bar Utility
Know which Space
you are on.
SpaceNameBar shows the current Space and its custom name in the menu bar. Open the dropdown to rename Spaces, add an emoji, and click any row to jump straight there.
Free & MIT licensed · Apple Silicon & Intel · Latest release
Features
Small app, clear desktops.
Everything lives in one menu bar item, with no accounts, servers or network access.
Click to switch Spaces
Click a row to jump to that Space. The app posts your own Switch to Desktop N shortcuts, and clicking a full-screen Space activates that app.
Window counts per Space
An optional badge shows how many app windows live on each Space. It uses only window bounds and owner information, never contents or titles.
Multiple display support
By default the list shows the Spaces of the display with the menu bar. A setting lists every display, and up to 16 Spaces are handled.
Choose what the bar shows
Display the number, the name, or both, and set a maximum title length from 5 to 40 characters. Launch at login is a single toggle.
Private and native
Built with SwiftUI and AppKit, with no analytics and no network connections. If Space lookup is unavailable after a macOS update, it falls back to the Dock's saved layout and tells you in Settings.
Screenshots
See it in action.
Install
Up and running in a minute.
SpaceNameBar is open source and not notarized with a paid Apple Developer ID, so macOS needs one extra step the first time.
- Download SpaceNameBar-macOS.zip and unzip it.
- Move SpaceNameBar.app to your Applications folder.
- Clear the quarantine flag once, then right-click the app and choose Open:
xattr -cr /Applications/SpaceNameBar.app
- For click-to-switch, enable the Switch to Desktop N shortcuts in System Settings Keyboard Keyboard Shortcuts Mission Control, and grant Accessibility access in System Settings Privacy Security Accessibility.
Download
Get SpaceNameBar for macOS
Free, forever. Built for macOS 14 Sonoma or newer, Apple Silicon and Intel.
Not notarized: on first launch right-click SpaceNameBar.app → Open.
- macOS 14 Sonoma+
- Universal (Apple Silicon + Intel)
- MIT licensed · open source
- No ads, no accounts, no telemetry
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is SpaceNameBar really free and open source?
Yes. It is released under the MIT license and the full source is on GitHub. There are no accounts, subscriptions or paid tiers, and an optional Ko-fi button is the only way to support it.
What permissions does it need?
Only Accessibility, and only for click-to-switch, because the app posts the Control plus number shortcuts that make macOS change Space. Without it, the menu bar name, renaming and everything else still work. It does not ask for Screen Recording or Microphone access.
Where is my data stored?
Space names, emoji and settings are stored locally in your macOS user defaults, keyed by Space identifier. Nothing is sent anywhere, because the app makes no network connections.
Why isn't the app notarized?
Notarization requires a paid Apple Developer account, and this is a free project. Right-click the app and choose Open once to approve it, or build it from source with Xcode.
Support ❤️
Built by one person, given away for free.
SpaceNameBar is a free, open-source alternative to paid utilities. If it earns a spot on your Mac, a coffee keeps the updates coming.
☕ Support Or on Ko-fi